Oscillating steam-engine



(No Model.)

E. L. MOORE OSGILL ATING STEAM ENGINE.

No. 320,575. Patented June 23, 1885.

W we

EEEEE- /%/M; fix 24 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ENOS L. MOORE, OF PORTSMOUTH, OHIO.

OSCILLATING STEAM-ENGINE.

SIPEQEPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,575, dated June 23, 1885. Application filed December 22. 1884. (No model.)

T0 (1 whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ENOs L. MOORE, of Portsmouth, Scioto county, in the State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oscillating SteamEngines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention is intended more especially for smallpowers forelevators, hoists, winches,

cranes, derricks, and the like; but it may be made of any size desired, and used for any purpose. I have devised a construction by which an oscillating engine is capable of working in either direction with an eminently simple valve-gear. No attempt is made to work the steam expansively or to give lead to the valve. For small engines these features are of less importance than simplicity and durability.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification, and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, showing my invention applied to two engines connected to cranks on the same shaft employed to operate a winding-drum for hoisting purposes. Fig. 2 is a corresponding end view showing the novel portions with so much of the hoisting-drum as is necessary to indicate their relations thereto. Fig. 3 is a detail in elevation.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

A is astationary frame,of cast-iron or other suitable material, made in as many parts as may be desired rigidly bolted together. Gertain portions will be designated when necessary by additional marks, as A A A A are uprights,which support the main shaft 13, which is provided with two cranks, B B", arranged quartering.

C G are pistons, and O O piston-rods,of two oscillating engines, which are connected, the one to the crank B, and the other to the crank B The two engines coupled in this manner, and also by a common starting and reversing mechanism, to be described further on, are counterparts each of the other. A description of one will suffice for both.

D is a cylinder, provided with two trunnions, D and D One trunnion, D, is solid,

,Stem G.

and may be of small diameter. The other trunnion, D is hollow,and incloses a concentric tube, D which performs an important function.

The steam for operating the piston enters through the interior of the tube D The exhaust-steam is discharged through an annular space within the trunnion exterior to this tube D The tube D extends out considerably beyond the extremity of the trunnion D and communicates through the stuffingbox E with a chamber, a, receiving steam at the working-pressure from a boiler. (Not rep resented.) The trunnion D communicates through a stuffing-box, E with a chamber, a which communicates through an aperture (not represented) with the external atmosphere or with a condenser. The tube D leads the live steam into a cored passage, (1, which extends first lengthwise and then half-way around the cylinder,conducting the live steam into the steamchest, which is in the vertical plane. of the trunnions. A slide-valve, G, operated by a valvestem, G, admits the live steam alternately to the two ends of the cylinder and receives the exhaust'stea-m therefrom through the cylinder-ports d d. The exhauststeam is led from the exhaust-port (1 through a cored passage, (2*, which leads half around the cylinder, and then lengthwise of the cylinder to the trunnion D and through it fiows freely outward through the annular space exterior to the tube D into the exhaustchamber a and away. The extension of the tube D is located within the exhaust-cham bers a", and loss of heat from said tube is thus effectually prevented.

Dis a bracket oscillating with the cylinder, which guides a rectangular extension of the valve-stem.

G is a pin fixed at right angles in the valve- It receives a link, H, the lower end of which takes hold of a pin,M,which is supported by a link, L, connected to a fixed pin, A supported on a bracket, A. This link L is capable of turning on the center A and may be held firmly or turned at will by means of a link, N, connected to an arm, P fixedon a horizontal shaft, P, which is controlled by a hand-lever, P, carrying a spring-dog, Q, 7

being engaged in either of three notches, s s s", in the fixed frame-work. The shaft P extends across and has an arm, P for each engine,with a similar connection, N, for each.

The attendant, by operating the handle R and lever I), causes each link L to turn on the center pin, A, and this shifts its pin M either into the middle position or into a position the other side of the plane of the trunnion. The first adjustment, setting the pin M- in the ll'llddiGPOSltlOl] (marked*) stops the engines. The second adjustment, shifting the pin M into the position causes the engines to work in the opposite direction.

\Vhen thepin M is set in the middle position, it holds the valve G below its neutral position. It holds it there without regard to how the cylinder may oscillate. The upper end of the cylinder receives live steam and thelower end exhausts. A

The construction and arrangement insures that moving the hand-lever P into theupright position, and the locking of the dog Q in the central notch, 8 holds the pin M of each engine in its middle position, and gives steam to the upper side of each piston, while it exhausts from the lower side of each, and it does this irrespective of any change of position which the cylinder may make. Thus conditioned,the full force of the steam is exerted to turn the shaft B into such position that the crank-pins B and B shall be about equally removed from their lowest positions,and shall hold the shalt firmly in or near this position notwithstanding any force which may be exerted by the winding-drum Z or by any other agency. Thus the steam is available to brake, or rather to lock, the machinery and hold it reliably.

Vhen the lever P,and consequently thepin M, is set in the position represented, and the dog Q locks it there, both cylinders'reccive steam, and as the shaft rotates the oscillation of the cylinder induces the proper shifting of the valve to continue the motion. Each cylinder will receive steam to induce the required vigorous revolutions, the steam following full stroke. The admission will commence wit-h the crank on the dead-point-, and will continue until the crank is again on the opposite dead-point. In other Words, the engines will work without lead or lap.

Vhen the dog Q is lifted and the lever l shifted into the opposite inclination and again dogged, the movement shifts both pins M into the position on the opposite side of the plane of the trunnions. This reverses both engines and induces active revolutions of the shaft B in the opposite direction. The oscillation of the cylinderinduces the proper working of the valve precisely as before, except opposite directhat the revolutions are in the tion.

WVhen it is desired to work with less velocity, the admission of steam is throttled by any ordinary throttle-valve interposed between the boiler (not represented) and the live-steam chamber a. This will involve no difficulty.

The packing and other ordinary parts of the respective engines (not represented) may be of any ordinary or suitable character. There rnay be any desired provision for taking up the wear of the parts.

There is no motion of my mechanism except in the act of braking or reversing.

I attach importance to the arrangement whereby the pin M is neither above nor below but at the level of the trunnions. 1n reversing the engine the pin M is caused to. describe its curved path directly across the space which would be occupied by the trunnion D if it should be prolonged. This is of advantage in avoiding the distorted working of the valve, which would be experienced if the pin M were either above or below. It may be practicable to attain this end without carrying the link H out to an inconvenient distance by a compact arrangement of the provisions for bringing steam to the trunnion or conducting away steam from the trunnion. The arrangement for both putting in and taking out the steam through the opposite trunnion and leaving solid the trunnion adjacent to the valve motion allows the link H to be brought as near to the steam-chest and cylinder as may be do sired.

Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages.

Parts may be used without the whole. I can make the engine single, using only one of the cylinders D and its connections. a suitable fiy-wheel being fixed on the shaft B.

In cases where the engine is always required to work in the same direction or under conditions where plenty of time is available to effect the reversing the pin M may be fixed in the frame-work at the proper distance one side of the line of the trnnnions, and either held there immovably or with a capacity for taking it out by liberating it by unscrewing a nut or analogous fastening and shifting it by hand into the opposite side. Such a change will effect the reversion of the direction. I prefer the whole, as shown.

v There may be any ordinary or suitable brake in addition to the provisions for holding the machinery by the steam.

The engine,single or double,may be worked vertically with the shaft below the cylinder, or worked horizontally or variously inclined.

The center A may be higher or lower than shown, the link L being correspondingly lengthened or shortened. A may even be below instead of above the trunnions; but it is important that it be out of the line of the pin G", otherwise the steam cannot perform the function of holding the parts firmly by simply setting the pin M in the middle position. I attach much importance to this quality for many situations.

I claim as my invention-- 1. In an oscillating engine, the trunnion D having a concentric interior tube, D, for the reception of the live steam, as set forth.

2. In an oscillating engine, the trunnion D, having a concentric tube, D extending be yond the trunnion and connected to a source of live steam, a, as set forth.

3. In an oscillating engine, the trunnion D", having concentric live-steam tube D and an exhaust-chamber, as a surrounding said tube D', as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The trunnion D, having an annular exhaust-passage connecting the cylinder with a chamber, as a, and having a concentric tube, D, connected by a stuffing-box, E, with a source of steam-supply, a, the said chamber a surrounding the tube D to prevent loss of heat therefrom, and all combined, arranged, and operating as set forth.

5. In an oscillating engine, the cylinder D, having a solid trunnion,D,and a hollow trunnion, D, the latter adapted to both receive and discharge the steam, in combination with the valve-operating link H,having its shifting end traversed in a path crossing the line of the trunnions, and with the valve'stem G and its connected valve, all arranged for joint operation substantially as hereinspecified.

6. The link H, in combination with the valve-stem G of an oscillating engine, and with the pin M and means, as N P P P Q, for not only holding it, but also for shifting it from one side to the other so as to reverse the motion, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

7. In an oscillating engine. the link L, turning on a center, A, out of line with the pin ENOS L. MOORE.

Witnesses WM. 0. DEY, CHARLES R. SEARLE. 

